Car statistics

Volkswagen Golf GTI statistics

How many Volkswagen Golf GTIs are still on the road in Great Britain, how many are declared off the road, and how the GTI compares with other versions of the Volkswagen Golf. Built from DVLA licensing records.

A version of the Volkswagen Golf. Recorded by DVLA as “GOLF GTI”, “GOLF GTI (115 BHP)”, “GOLF GTI 16V”, “GOLF GTI AUTO”, “GOLF GTI S-A”, “GOLF GTI TSI S-A”, “GOLF GTI TSI”, “GOLF GTI 180 BHP”.

Last updated
Records analysed
59,141 Volkswagen Golf GTI records (licensed and SORN)
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed in Great Britain 39,080 −0.3% on a year earlier
  • Declared SORN 20,061 Off the road, not taxed
  • Peak year 2001 111,762 licensed
  • Share of Volkswagen Golfs 5.8% of those licensed or SORN
  • New registrations in 2025 2,335 registered for the first time
  • Most common fuel Petrol 99.9% of those licensed

How many Volkswagen Golf GTIs are left in Great Britain?

There were 39,080 Volkswagen Golf GTIs licensed in Great Britain at the end of March 2026, and a further 20,061 declared off the road (SORN). The licensed count is 65.0% lower than its peak of 111,762 in 2001.

Volkswagen Golf GTIs licensed and SORN in Great Britain

This data records SORN from 2007, so the SORN line starts there.

Volkswagen Golf GTIs licensed and declared SORN in Great Britain at the end of each year
Year LicensedDeclared SORN
1994 89,369
1995 91,673
1996 98,340
1997 104,076
1998 103,809
1999 108,839
2000 110,777
2001 111,762
2002 109,134
2003 103,884
2004 97,777
2005 96,328
2006 92,979
2007 90,04310,169
2008 85,83710,602
2009 81,74910,515
2010 76,84910,956
2011 70,94511,704
2012 65,73311,270
2013 60,52912,864
2014 56,42212,805
2015 52,00014,348
2016 48,43815,815
2017 47,35117,069
2018 45,76917,527
2019 41,86618,253
2020 39,96318,883
2021 39,45919,166
2022 38,74319,488
2023 37,88019,905
2024 38,34319,447
2025 38,78119,880
2026 39,08020,061

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Fuel type

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Volkswagen Golf GTI registrations over time

First registrations of Volkswagen Golf GTIs in Great Britain were highest in 2001, when this data begins, at 8,308. In 2025, 2,335 were registered.

Registered for the first time, by year

Volkswagen Golf GTIs registered for the first time in Great Britain, by year
Year First registrations
’01 8,308
’02 5,821
’03 3,783
’04 625
’05 6,151
’06 5,015
’07 3,565
’08 2,473
’09 1,974
’10 1,680
’11 1,307
’12 1,131
’13 957
’14 1,681
’15 1,303
’16 1,666
’17 4,341
’18 2,904
’19 88
’20 1,058
’21 2,300
’22 1,024
’23 1,221
’24 2,046
’25 2,335

Source:DfT / DVLA 2001 to 2025 Updated

Volkswagen Golf GTI engine sizes and fuel types

Of the 39,885 Volkswagen Golf GTIs licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, 72.0% have an engine of 1,901cc to 2,000cc, and 18.5% have an engine of 2,001cc to 2,100cc. The share with an engine of 1,901cc to 2,000cc has grown from 50.3% in 2014 to 72.0%.

Engine sizes, end of 2025

DVLA records engine size in 100cc bands.

Volkswagen Golf GTIs licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, by engine size
Engine size Share of those licensed
1,901cc to 2,000cc 28,732 licensed 72.0%
2,001cc to 2,100cc 7,394 licensed 18.5%
1,701cc to 1,800cc 3,066 licensed 7.7%
1,801cc to 1,900cc 380 licensed 1.0%
Other sizes 313 licensed 0.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2014 to end of 2025 Updated

Engine size and fuel together, end of 2025
Engine size Fuel Licensed Share
1,901–2,000cc Petrol 28,725 72.0%
2,001–2,100cc Petrol 7,394 18.5%
1,701–1,800cc Petrol 3,063 7.7%

Engine sizes, 2014 to 2025

Share of those licensed at the end of each year, for the most common sizes.

Volkswagen Golf GTIs licensed in the UK by engine size, share of each year’s total
Year 1,901–2,000cc2,001–2,100cc1,701–1,800cc1,801–1,900cc
2014 50.3%31.5%11.2%6.7%
2015 51.2%31.4%11.2%5.8%
2016 52.8%31.0%11.1%4.8%
2017 57.1%29.0%10.0%3.5%
2018 60.0%27.4%9.4%2.8%
2019 60.5%27.5%9.3%2.3%
2020 62.1%26.8%8.9%1.8%
2021 64.9%25.0%8.3%1.4%
2022 66.4%23.9%7.9%1.2%
2023 67.9%22.7%7.6%1.1%
2024 69.5%20.6%8.1%1.0%
2025 72.0%18.5%7.7%1.0%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2014 to end of 2025 Updated

United Kingdom figures from DfT table VEH0220 (licensed cars at the end of each year, SORN excluded), so they differ slightly from the Great Britain counts elsewhere on this page. This covers cars DVLA records under this version’s name only; the Volkswagen Golf page covers every version. How we use engine sizes.

Volkswagen Golf GTI fuel economy and CO2

The Vehicle Certification Agency’s new car data lists the Volkswagen Golf GTI from 2000, when the data begins, and still lists it. On the WLTP test (listings 2025 to 2026), official combined fuel economy for its petrol versions ranges from 36.7 to 39.8 mpg, with CO2 of 161 to 174 g/km. On the older NEDC test (listings 2000 to 2018), official combined fuel economy for its petrol and diesel versions ranges from 34.4 to 53.3 mpg, with CO2 of 139 to 194 g/km.

Official WLTP figures by engine and fuel, listed 2025 to 2026
Engine and fuel Combined mpg CO2 g/km Listed Euro standard Versions
2.0 petrol 36.7–39.8 161–174 2025–2026 Euro 6 2
Older NEDC figures, listed 2000 to 2018 (3 engine and fuel groups)
Official NEDC figures by engine and fuel, listed 2000 to 2018
Engine and fuel Combined mpg CO2 g/km Listed Euro standard Versions
1.8 petrol 34.9–35.3 192–194 2000–2004 Euro 2 to Euro 4 8
2.0 petrol 34.4–47.1 139–194 2000–2018 Euro 3 to Euro 6 42
1.9 diesel 53.3 143 2000 Euro 3 2

Source:VCA July 2000 to 15 September 2026 Updated

  • Official figures from laboratory type-approval tests. VCA says they may not be achieved in real-world driving, and should not be used to rank cars with similar figures.
  • NEDC figures (in VCA’s data until September 2018) and WLTP figures (from the 2019 guide) come from different tests, so they are shown separately and should not be compared.
  • VCA’s data has no Volkswagen versions for 2019 to 2024, so the years listed may leave out years the Volkswagen Golf GTI was on sale.
  • These are the VCA listings we could match to the Volkswagen Golf GTI by name. The Volkswagen Golf page covers every version.
  • Engine sizes are rounded to the nearest 0.1 litre. A version is one line in VCA’s data (description, gearbox, engine and fuel), counted once however many years it was listed. Matched from VCA’s model names “Golf”, “Golf 3/5 Door Hatchback”, “Golf 5 Door”, “New Golf”. How we use VCA’s figures.

Other versions of the Volkswagen Golf

Versions of the Volkswagen Golf with their own page. The Volkswagen Golf page covers all 900,884 licensed, whatever the version.

Volkswagen Golf GTI compared with other versions of the Volkswagen Golf
Version Licensed SORN Still registered
Volkswagen Golf GTI 39,080 20,061
Volkswagen Golf R 35,845 1,174 85.4%
Volkswagen Golf R32 3,919 2,273 72.5%
Volkswagen Golf GTI Cabriolet 595 2,100 50.4%
Volkswagen Golf Clipper Cabriolet 539 1,901 50.3%
Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 30 1,353 429 78.2%
Volkswagen Golf VR6 258 1,336 20.9%
Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet 233 796 21.2%
Volkswagen Golf Avantgarde Cabriolet 167 522 21.8%
Volkswagen Golf VR6 Highline 119 514 33.3%
Volkswagen Golf Anniversary T 239 285 65.2%
Volkswagen Golf Anniversary 223 266 53.1%
Volkswagen Golf GL Cabriolet 107 274 33.4%
Volkswagen Golf GTI Rivage 87 229 59.2%
Volkswagen Golf GTI Sportline 47 186 66.6%
Volkswagen Golf GTI Anniversary 37 181 31.1%
Volkswagen Golf CC Cabriolet 27 130 44.9%
Volkswagen Golf Syncro 12 116 19.8%

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
Licensed and SORN counts Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 59,141 Volkswagen Golf GTI records (licensed and SORN) 15 September 2026
Registered for the first time Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport 2001 to 2025 15 September 2026
  • Figures cover Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). Northern Ireland is not included.
  • Licensed counts are vehicles with a current tax or exemption at the end of each year (or the latest quarter). SORN counts are shown separately, from 2007.
  • This version groups DVLA’s detailed model names “GOLF GTI”, “GOLF GTI (115 BHP)”, “GOLF GTI 16V”, “GOLF GTI AUTO”, “GOLF GTI S-A”, “GOLF GTI TSI S-A”, “GOLF GTI TSI”, “GOLF GTI 180 BHP”. Engine size, gearbox, number of doors and fuel are ignored, so every engine and gearbox counts together.
  • First registrations count vehicles registered in Great Britain for the first time, including used imports.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.